EVALUATION OF THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH

Strengths

Behaviourism is a scientific approach, and only accepts objective, empirical evidence. All of the study results are measurable and factual, enabling this approach to be reliable and it's therapies to be desirable (as clients will be clear on the exact success of previous subjects)

This approach has a strong focus on stimulus - response, meaning that behaviour can be observed and then changed through conditioning. There is no desire to look to a persons childhood or innate characteristics, as humans are viewed to be born as a 'blank slate' and can be conditioned to do any number of things. This could be desirable to patients seeking therapy as there are no difficult questions to answer and no digging deep into the dark corners of the mind, there is just a focus on the task at hand using scientific and measurable processes.

Due to the success of the assumptions (classical and operant conditioning & social learning theory), these ideas are being used in many circumstances, eg. schools - there is an emphasis on reward and punishment, and association is often used in revision techniques. The therapies - systematic desensitisation and averstion therapy have been successful in helping to cure people of phobias and addiction.

Weaknesses

Behaviourism places a strong emphasis on nurture rather than nature, for example the 'Tabula Rasa', we are believed to have been born with the potential to be conditioned by the environment in any possible way. Our genetic make-up and other internal factors are ignored by this approach, despite being an important part of how we function and succeed.

This approach stemmed from experiements on animals, not humans, and can be seen as more relevant to animals. The intricate and intelligent thought processes of humans are ignored, and behaviour is reduced to stimulus and response. Behaviourists reject the idea that behaviour is determined by anything other than environment.

It is a determinist approach, as the belief is that we are made entirely who we are by our environment, therefore ignoring the thought processes and decision making that happens before certain behaviours. Operant conditioning implies that a persons behaviour can be dictated by reward and punishment, rather than being taught to think rationally and responsibly.